Lionel Messi

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Those who want Messi to United don't realize that they are voting for a Sanchez on steroids. Let it sink. Sanchez, in turn, was a Rooney on steroids.

Multiply the damage by 3. Even if Messi has a couple of tremendous seasons (which is not a fact), the transfer wouldn’t justify having ageing Messi for another 2 seasons. And he won’t sign a short term deal.

Another gamble of huge proportions. Falcao, SchweinSchneider, Di Maria, Sanchez...You never learn, do you?
 
sammsky1 said:
What position would he play under OGS ... Doesn't solve our right wing problem does he?
If he went in at false 9, what do we do with Bruno?
Im assuming if we signed him, we wouldn't also get Sancho.
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I see him playing at nominal right wing position with the license to roam around. The same that Mata used to play in. AWB can focus mostly on defending in that case (like Valencia used to), along with help from Maguire. The whole team will have to make some adjustments.

There is no other feasible position for him in my opinion. As he is deficient in pressing, playing him centrally against premier league teams will run the risk of us being overrun. This was the reason we never played Mata or Sanchez centrally much.
 


For those who hope with hope a change. Messi has made an irrevocable decision. It is not a pulse to Bartomeu. Not even his resignation would stop Messi from leaving. He will not wear the Barcelona shirt again. Sad but true
 
ThinkTank@Cafe said:
Those who want Messi to United don't realize that they are voting for a Sanchez on steroids. Let it sink. Sanchez, in turn, was a Rooney on steroids.

Multiply the damage by 3. Even if Messi has a couple of tremendous seasons (which is not a fact), the transfer wouldn’t justify having ageing Messi for another 2 seasons. And he won’t sign a short term deal.

Another gamble of huge proportions. Falcao, SchweinSchneider, Di Maria, Sanchez...You never learn, do you?
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He's the best player in the world ffs :lol:
 
amolbhatia50k said:
No it doesn't. It suggests that individuals are either limited or springboarded by their teams and visa versa. It's as if you expect Messi to have the exact same output at Barcelona as he would at Stoke. I don't think he doubts he could tear it up for City in the PL. He's score more goals against England's top 6 than many who have played in this league :lol:

Of course he has lots to gain. Barcelona are in a terrible state so he may just benefit from going to a better team.
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Exactly, he needs a team to be a springboard, but who? If he goes to any kind of competitive league he will be expected to dominate, or it will be considered a failure. To do that in the PL he will need to be at his best, ie he will need a team to be built around him, and nobody is going to do that for a 33 year old. At least not anybody with a chance of winning anything.

Likewise if he goes to PSG or Bayern, the league is a foregone conclusion so he will need a CL medal.

If he leaves, which I highly doubt, it will be to a random league somewhere.
 
As a business project, the biggest commercial opportunity is at Manchester United.

We have the biggest fanbase out of City, PSG and United, United would also attract all the Argentina national team petrol heads, and Messi fanboys, which would mean record ever figures for Sky/BT generating unprecedented ad revenues.

Messi installed as new no 7 would break all jersey and merchandising records and attract a many new sponsorships at record fee's. Once fans are allowed back in stadiums, tickets to see Messi play live in UK would become like gold dust.

And of course there is the potential fairytale that Messi leads Manchester united back to domestic and European glory - British media covering that journey would vastly increase its viewership, and so increase its own ad revenue.

The Premier League is due to auction TV rights for 2022/23 and onwards later in 2020. Having Messi in UK during that a ruction would also raise the value of those.

net net, having Messi at Manchester United would be a huge financial opportunity for Manchester United, British media and The Premier League. These numbers reduce dramatically if he chooses City or PSG.
 
ThinkTank@Cafe said:
Those who want Messi to United don't realize that they are voting for a Sanchez on steroids. Let it sink. Sanchez, in turn, was a Rooney on steroids.

Multiply the damage by 3. Even if Messi has a couple of tremendous seasons, the transfer wouldn’t justify having ageing Messi for another 2 seasons. And he won’t sign a short term deal.
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Seriously you are comparing Messi, who statistically is currently the best player across major european leagues with Sanchez who is arguably our worst ever signing. Just because we had bad experiences with older players who treated us as a money making retirement house, you can't project same on Messi. His professionalism and performance standards aren't questionable. And if he did have couple of tremendous seasons, we are looking at probably 2 premier league trophies. What would do to the development of our young guns who could carry forward the winning spirit. That's really the Man United way.
 
Think back to 2012. Fergie saw a world class but ageing Van Persie as key to winning the title. He signed him, we won the league, but there was ultimately a negative long term impact due to their ultimately not being a long term plan.

Now on Messi, if and these are big ifs:
1. He's actually up for signing and is available.
2. He's affordable
3. Ole sees Messi as a player who can help us win the title and compete in the Champions League over the next 2/3 seasons.
4. He doesn't have a negative impact on the development on players such as Greenwood and even the likes of Fernandes, Martial and Rashford.

We should sign him.

Now, I would imagine it's a non starter due to points 1 & 2 being a no but if they're actually yes, in addition to points 3 & 4, we would be stupid to not try.

Ultimately, I believe he will stay at Barca but stranger things have happened.
 
Hopefully he doesn't end up at United. Obscene wages at the tail end of his career. Among the best to ever do it, but yeah.

I'm hoping he ends up at PSG, but more likely to go be City. World class manager he's familiar with and quite a few Spanish speakers, including national team-mate.
 
CG1010 said:
Seriously you are comparing Messi, who statistically is currently the best player across major european leagues with Sanchez who is arguably our worst ever signing. Just because we had bad experiences with older players who treated us as a money making retirement house, you can't project same on Messi. His professionalism and performance standards aren't questionable. And if he did have couple of tremendous seasons, we are looking at probably 2 premier league trophies. What would do to the development of our young guns who could carry forward the winning spirit. That's really the Man United way.
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I heard all those stories of Falcao (aka world’s best finisher), Schweinschteiger (aka best captain ever, WC winner, mentality bringer), Sanchez (aka the Pianist) before. As soon as they came to us, they instantly turned shit.

Messi is not a Manchester United type of, let’s say, human being.
 
CG1010 said:
Seriously you are comparing Messi, who statistically is currently the best player across major european leagues with Sanchez who is arguably our worst ever signing. Just because we had bad experiences with older players who treated us as a money making retirement house, you can't project same on Messi. His professionalism and performance standards aren't questionable. And if he did have couple of tremendous seasons, we are looking at probably 2 premier league trophies. What would do to the development of our young guns who could carry forward the winning spirit. That's really the Man United way.
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If you look through the Pogba threads it shows how a player can perform under par and have his stats through the roof just because he is the only outlet in the team. Its the same with Bruno. Fans saw his performances drop to fatigue yet he had great stats because everything goes through him.
One of the boggest arguments against Messi is that he constantly demands the ball off his teammates to the detriment of the team. Looking at those stats up the page, it backs that up.
Messi may well tear the league up in GA stats etc but it could make the side slower, more disjointed and more open to get out ran through the middle.
 
ThinkTank@Cafe said:
I heard all those stories of Falcao (aka world’s best finisher), Schweinschteiger (aka best captain ever, WC winner, mentality bringer), Sanchez (aka the Pianist) before. As soon as they came to us, they instantly turned shit.

Messi is not a Manchester United type of, let’s say, human being.
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What am I reading?
 
MancunianAngels said:
Think back to 2012. Fergie saw a world class but ageing Van Persie as key to winning the title. He signed him, we won the league, but there was ultimately a negative long term impact due to their ultimately not being a long term plan. Now on Messi, if and these are big ifs:
1. He's actually up for signing and is available.
2. He's affordable
3. Ole sees Messi as a player who can help us win the title and compete in the Champions League over the next 2/3 seasons.
4. He doesn't have a negative impact on the development on players such as Greenwood and even the likes of Fernandes, Martial and Rashford.
We should sign him.
Now, I would imagine it's a non starter due to points 1 & 2 being a no but if they're actually yes, in addition to points 3 & 4, we would be stupid to not try.
Ultimately, I believe he will stay at Barca but stranger things have happened.
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No 4 has no bearing. Its nonsense that we have to be mindful on a players future in the side when better alternatives become available. They have to compete for their place.
 
ThinkTank@Cafe said:
Those who want Messi to United don't realize that they are voting for a Sanchez on steroids. Let it sink. Sanchez, in turn, was a Rooney on steroids.

Multiply the damage by 3. Even if Messi has a couple of tremendous seasons (which is not a fact), the transfer wouldn’t justify having ageing Messi for another 2 seasons. And he won’t sign a short term deal.

Another gamble of huge proportions. Falcao, SchweinSchneider, Di Maria, Sanchez...You never learn, do you?
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Come on, have a look at the numbers, 25 goals and 25 assists in La Liga with that Barca team, Semis in UCL. Even peak Sanchez / Rooney didn't even have numbers close to that.
Messi is as good a playmaker and goal scorer, Image Messi working with the pace of our frontline.
The commercial aspect of Messi would also be unbelievable and don't be surprised if it pays almost all the cost. The long term future will also be good commercially and further global reach. Sancho might as well want to take pay cut to join Messi and club becomes even more attractive.
Messi can be better than Giggs longevity and move more into a playmaker.
There are a lot of things going on.
 
TsuWave said:
Hopefully he doesn't end up at United. Obscene wages at the tail end of his career. Among the best to ever do it, but yeah.

I'm hoping he ends up at PSG, but more likely to go be City. World class manager he's familiar with and quite a few Spanish speakers, including national team-mate.
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If he moves to any oil club, it will be a shame and will effect his legacy that he went for money.
 
Shamana said:
On a 1 year contract? Yes please.
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He could play in a deeper role and be a ball carrier pretty much making the Grealish saga redundant honestly.

No upfront fee, wages which are a weekly basis, means that area is actually sorted for 3 years, then Sancho on the RW means it's a good window.

Shifting Lingard and Mata is then an option, and a CB can be prioritised in the following summer, it definitely makes sense.

Hoping City and PSG are completely priced out of getting him.
 
Cardboard elk said:
According to Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola, the Barcelona forward had phoned PSG attacker and former teammate the Nou Camp Neymar, encouraging the player the join him and play for Manchester City - this coming prior to his request to terminate his current contract at the La Liga side.

Might be just lies.. I certainly hope so.
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Silly season has become even sillier with this Messi news :lol:
 
Samid said:


For those who hope with hope a change. Messi has made an irrevocable decision. It is not a pulse to Bartomeu. Not even his resignation would stop Messi from leaving. He will not wear the Barcelona shirt again. Sad but true
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Remember all the irrevocable decisions from Ronaldo?
 
Some of these Messi takes are absurd and evidently many haven't been watching him in Spain much recently think he's close to the end.

He might have an adjustment period but he would 100% take the league by storm if he came to England. We've seen much lesser players take to the PL quite well and successfully. No doubt in my mind he'd do bits especially on an already dangerous side like City.

The age talk is incredibly overstated when he's never had a major injury in his career and is the same age as the league's top scorer this past season. Not gonna touch the Sanchez comparisons because...just no :lol: :wenger:

We can try to downplay it all we want but it would be nightmarish if he did join City, its Lionel fecking Messi not some has been or wannabe.

He's absolutely feasted on the best English sides throughout his career, I very highly doubt he'd have a hard go at it on a rainy night in Stoke especially with the likes of Sterling, KDB and Aguero around him...
 
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TheNewEra said:
He could play in a deeper role and be a ball carrier pretty much making the Grealish saga redundant honestly.

No upfront fee, wages which are a weekly basis, means that area is actually sorted for 3 years, then Sancho on the RW means it's a good window.

Shifting Lingard and Mata is then an option, and a CB can be prioritised in the following summer, it definitely makes sense.

Hoping City and PSG are completely priced out of getting him.
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All depends on whether he can activate the clause in his contract to leave for free. I wouldn't pay 100 million + his insane wages for Messi at his age. However on a free. Sure why not. Since he's past his prime though I think he wants to pull a Ronaldo and go a team where he's sure the win the league at least. We finished 33 points off the leaders. Messi at 33 isn't going to close that gap.
 
flappyjay said:
Where are the wing backs?
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You dont need wingbacks. You can play 3 at the back without them if your midfield 3 can get about.

Ajax in the 90s didnt play with wingbacks.

The only way you get 4 at the back is dropping pogba.

Not that he'd come here anyway.
 
Just for entertainment value I want to seem him link up with Lukkaku in Italy :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
TheNewEra said:
He could play in a deeper role and be a ball carrier pretty much making the Grealish saga redundant honestly.

No upfront fee, wages which are a weekly basis, means that area is actually sorted for 3 years, then Sancho on the RW means it's a good window.

Shifting Lingard and Mata is then an option, and a CB can be prioritised in the following summer, it definitely makes sense.

Hoping City and PSG are completely priced out of getting him.
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I don’t think City and PSG are priced out of anything.
 
He’s off to City. Pep, Aguero and an easy time of it. We all need to turn into full on Ronaldo fanboys now.
 
Adisa said:
Remember all the irrevocable decisions from Ronaldo?
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Yea I remember him joining Juventus despite Madrid being willing to offer him yet another contract bump + extension and him wanting none of it once his mind was made up.

This has the exact same feel as it's something that has built up overtime with the piss poor way Barcelona have been run in recent years,embarassing European exits, appalling treatment of their stars and Messi's friends (to the point of hiring social media and tabloid firms for the express reason of slandering some of their players) and them being in a state of shambles financially and not being able to do much on the recruitment side until they have a firesale.

None of that changes overnight even if the president resigns (which he's resisted all calls too so far) and I suspect Messi knows that well, hence why his people have reportedly been in touch with other clubs already...
 
Offside said:
He’s off to City. Pep, Aguero and an easy time of it. We all need to turn into full on Ronaldo fanboys now.
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Juventus is a much more "easier time of it" than Manchester City considering the PL and Livepool.
 
bosnian_red said:
Only silver lining is it stops Liverpool from catching up to our 20 for the 3/4 years he'll be there with Pep, long enough for Klopp to leave and their peak players to leave/decline and then hopefully by then we can get our shit together.
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Yeah, that's the one positive.

Apart from the obvious issue of City probably annihilating us at least twice next season, it'd be an absolutely huge boost to their brand. If they then go to win the CL as well? Dear lord. If there's one way to build a fanbase, this is it.
 
ForeverRed1 said:
do you really think messi will sit at home at night thinking Man City will be too hard for him? ‘Maybe I should go psg because it’s easier’ he won’t. It will come down to many factors.. but that won’t be one of them.
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I agree there’s many factors but a big one is playing with Neymar again in a team that just got to the Champions League final and domestically dominant as well as having the money to not only pay top wages but maybe bring in players Messi wants too, of course Messi had a great relationship with Pep but I think it’s just an easy link for the media to sell papers and he’ll end up staying as it’s a power struggle with the president and he wants to stay at Barca but just under the right conditions.
 
Rolaholic said:
Seriously :lol: :lol: :lol:
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I dont see what's so funny.
LucasXXII said:
Personally I think it's less about Tuesday rainy night but more that he runs at least 3-4 km less than his teammates every match.
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Don't you think teams should understand that Messi, like Ronaldo has lost his legs in the sense that their fitness isn't what it was in their prime. That isn't an outlandish thing to think at all. So as Ronaldo as experienced that he has moved more central as a striker. Messi has deployed more deep as a midfielder but perhaps he also should be moving to CF so it allows him to run in bursts and only in the attacking phase.

Not to mention imagine the scenes having Messi in the Prem. It's huge for the league if it happens
 
Messi earns reportedly around 600k euros after tax. In England, if I’m not mistaken, it means 1.2m euros gross. 240 million euro in 4 years. Now consider the opportunity cost and potential (net) income. The opportunity cost is at least 3 top players (including wages).

The problem with income is that it is potential.

How will United recuperate 240 M euros exactly? Here is the structure of United revenue.

https://ir.manutd.com/company-information/business-model.aspx

Let’s say our merchandise sales is up by 50%. Which brings us £50m in additional gross revenue. Our net profit will be at best 15% of that or £7.5m. Mind, this 50% boost will not last for all 4 seasons. Still, let’s take as given it for 4 seasons. £30 m.

Sponsors. £170m. We have £450 shirt logo deal. £64m a year. Will it he upped by £210 because Messi is with us? I heard Chevy employees who endorsed the deal almost went to jail (a hyperbole). The point is that the deal is already huge, hard to make it bigger in Covid induced world economic crisis.

We have Adidas deal until 2024. They already have a deal in place. Will they pay another £60m (in addition to £75m they are already paying us and God knows how much they’re paying Messi) to make it happen?

As you see, a lot of questions here. Don’t forget about the COVID. That’s a potential minus £100M in ticket revenues this season.
 
LucasXXII said:
Personally I think it's less about Tuesday rainy night but more that he runs at least 3-4 km less than his teammates every match.

City could easily walk the league with every team parking the bus and Messi being a league specialist, but more intense pressing is required in the latter stages of UCL, and that's where he places a significant burden on his teammates to make up for his lack of distance covered.

Not to mention Messi would be heavily marked when playing against top oppositions, and has often been successfully nullified in recent seasons. If normally everything goes through Messi, the team would have a hard time adopting to the opposite.
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City doesn't need him to drop deep though. He could play a role that's more reminiscent of the one he fulfilled under Guardiola. Let him focus on the final third instead of initiating attacks himself. Take a look at his heat maps throughout the years for Barcelona. Him dropping deep is born out of necessity, not by choice.
 
sammsky1 said:
As a business project, the biggest commercial opportunity is at Manchester United.
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As a legitimate business project. On a personal level, for Messi himself and his agent, City or PSG can give him more money under the table than he will ever be able to count.
 
shahzy said:
I dont see what's so funny.


Don't you think teams should understand that Messi, like Ronaldo has lost his legs in the sense that their fitness isn't what it was in their prime. That isn't an outlandish thing to think at all. So as Ronaldo as experienced that he has moved more central as a striker. Messi has deployed more deep as a midfielder but perhaps he also should be moving to CF so it allows him to run in bursts and only in the attacking phase.

Not to mention imagine the scenes having Messi in the Prem. It's huge for the league if it happens
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Most people forget that he didn't run more than 8-9 km when playing under Guardiola either. That's always been his playing style. As long as they were winning, people didn't pay attention.
 






Never thought I'd be rooting for Barcelona in any manner but get in there and take it to court please, anything to stop that from happening :lol:

Doesn't help that one of Peps backroom staff members just posted this on instagram

 
MancunianAngels said:
Think back to 2012. Fergie saw a world class but ageing Van Persie as key to winning the title. He signed him, we won the league, but there was ultimately a negative long term impact due to their ultimately not being a long term plan.

Now on Messi, if and these are big ifs:
1. He's actually up for signing and is available.
2. He's affordable
3. Ole sees Messi as a player who can help us win the title and compete in the Champions League over the next 2/3 seasons.
4. He doesn't have a negative impact on the development on players such as Greenwood and even the likes of Fernandes, Martial and Rashford.

We should sign him.

Now, I would imagine it's a non starter due to points 1 & 2 being a no but if they're actually yes, in addition to points 3 & 4, we would be stupid to not try.

Ultimately, I believe he will stay at Barca but stranger things have happened.
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Spot on.

Messi is a uniquely gifted player and you have to take that into consideration.
 
Has everyone forgotten that Messi once mentioned he'd like to return to Argentina eventually? I think he might see this as his chance, I suppose.

I don't see why anyone wouldn't want him. He's hardly injured, is the of an otherworldly category, and his physique means he'll probably still be top level at 38-40 years old. Just hope it's not Man City.
 
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